Plant package



C. E. WILSON PLANT PACKAGE June 6, 1939.

Filed May 21, 1936 l sow fio - Patented June 6.,*1939 v PLANT PACKAGE..-

clarence E. wilson, mnonostoaponn;

Appuootion vMay 21, 193e, sonal 1-Io`.'s1,1w4v

1 claim. (c1. iz-47) This invention relates to improvements in' -plant packages for storingand shipping plants, and its objects'. areas follows;

p First, to provide a plant package which is especially made with a view to the utmost in Isimplicity, so that it can be used inv large quantities for packing, sustaining andV shipping growing plants without adding vto the current costjthereof.U

Second, to assemble the earth plug together with its bottom and top in cartridge form, and to load the shell with the cartridge by pushing it into one end of the shell as a unit and thereupon holding it in place by inserting a follower ring.

Third, to use a straight-sided shell composed of l5 disintegrable material, which is braced at its ends by rings which are inserted o n the inside so as to l avoid any obstruction onthe outside, oneof Asaid rings (the top one) being used as a means for stretching and clamping a piece of otherwise '20 limp, transparent, gas-proof material in place across the shell to providea window.

Fourth, to providethe package with a liner which is impregnated with a fertilizing chemical that will be given off and absorbed by the plant.

Fifth, to make said liner .of soluble material so that it will eventually disintegrate with the shell in the s oil when the package is planted as herein contemplated.

Sixth, to slit or otherwise ,puncture the package so that moisture can get out or in after planting,

use being made of a tool vwhich is especially adapted to do the slitting. .Y

Other objects and advantages willappear in `the following specification, reference `being had to 35 the accompanying drawing in which:''

. Figurel is a perspective view of the improved y -g'l- Qplant package, looking down into the inside -i-pthrough .the top window.

y. `ffligure 2 isa detail perspective view illustrating the unit formation-of the earth plug and the end 'I covers also showing how the unit is pushed into fthehell'.

Figure 3 is a" -longitudinal section of the plant package.;

ff'f Figure 4 is a detail sectional view of a modification in'the'form of the top window.

'A Il'igure 5 is a-detail perspective view of a portionilof-theinner fertilizing liner.

*Figureff is .fa detail perspective View of the 50 Package showing how it is slit before planting.

y Figure 'l is a perspective view of the slitting l Figure a is a detail sootioo of a modified bottom. In carrying out the invention provision is made 55 ofv a shell I, made in straight-sided form whether c Thus it is cylindrical or angular in cross'section. 1;; It is cornposed of disintegrablefmaterial so. whena f e' portion of the package is buriedy 'inythgroundf when setting the plant, said portion will graduallit v disintegrate.

vAn important feature vof the provide an insertible unit consisting of the earth invention is to plug 2, bottom 3.' top and surrounding linerla. Inactual practice this unit is ejected in cartridge form from the machine which produces such units at a rapid rate,v.the end covers being emplaced lbelow and abovethe earth plug so that the unit is ready to be inserted into one end of the shell as indicated by the'arrow d (Fig. 2). Y

The advantage of having the unit as one of the elements of the plant package is the clean manner and facility with which' it an be handled. A

= substantially uniform amount ofearth is containedby every plug 2, and inasmuch as the plug compactly contains the roots I of the plant 6.

the unitis capable of being pushed directly home until a stop ring 6a is engaged by the top 4, with little or no loss of earth. vThe ring 6a holds the top 4 in place and prevents the plant cartridge from moving out of place toward'the window in the top of the package. 'Ihe unit is of the exact form of the inside of the shell.

An opening 1 in the top I contains the crown 1a of the plant. The space 8 between the cover l and the transparent window 9 is a greenhouse, in a sense, providing room for a limited develop-y ment of the plant. The ability of the purchaser to see through the window is a sales promoter. The window lets light through and this. aids the growth of the plant.

After pushing the unit into the shell I a follower ring I0 is inserted in the bottom end of the shell to hold the unit in place. 'I'his ring serves as one of two braces for the ends of the shell. The other ring II at the top of the shell both stretches the material of the window 9 and clamps its margin I2 in place across the shell.

Usually the window 9 is composed of a piece of Cellophane. Further, it provides a gas-proof closure. Thelpiece is cut oversize in circular form and laid on the end o'f the shell. The ring I I is then centered on the piece, and as the ring is pushed in it folds the margin I2 of the window between the shell and ring. The ring is a close iit to begin with, and since it must accommodate the margin I2, it follows 'that the ring will be wedged in position, in addition to the ring stretching and clamping said piece.

This is limp and easily handled.

is braced at its ends by the rings it, li and since these are inserted on the inside it follows that all outside obstructions are avoided. It is aparticular purpose to maire the package as simple as possible. Generally its parte are made of treated cardboard, excepting the window l, and this sustains the plant by conserving the moisture. The package is air-tight, or as nearly so as it is ble to e it. As to the treated cardboard, reference ismade to the liner lla.l This is preferably. corrugated as at it (Fig. 5), but not necessarily so. It is impregnated with a chemical fertilizer it, which, -V as already pointed out, willbe givenoil. ancl'abf,l sorbed by the plant.` This-ls abeneilt to'the y plant not only while dont in the package, but also when the planting is done.

Figure 4 illustrates a modification wherebyv the window is brought flush, or substantially so,

with the adjacent end of the shell, instead of being depressed' below the end as in Fig. 8. The

openings it for the passage of moisture when. planted. Preparatory to the latter step the top of the package is removedl-abovevfthe line i8,

'exposing the plant-froz'nfthe crown Vlar up. The -'entire remainder is then planted,the;paper substance disintegratingin time, and the-fertlllzing chemicals of the liner abeing absorbed by the plant.

Fig. 7 illustrates a a variety of ways, but one way is to fasten two razors or'other blades 2t as at 2l between the opposite sides of a spacer 22 andthe inner sides ol the sheath end 23 oi the handle 24. The bla are thus held in parallelism, and since convenientlt'ool for doing the foregoing slitting. This tool lcan be made'in y and being situated arcanos only matching corners are vexposed it is easy to penetrate the cardboard shell and then make the slits by drawing the tool along as far as de sired. The 'beveled end 25 of the spacer limits the penetration, consequently the depth of the cut sothat the plant roots are not injured.

The planting procedure is briefly summarized: The shell i is cut around approximately'on a level wlth'the crown la of the'planuor a little above the line I9 (Fig. 6). The upper part is removed, but the lower part is punctured so as to provide openings through which moisture', also the-roots can pass. After lmmersing the package. in water for a few minutes the bottom 'andft'op covers 3 and are removed from the plug 2 and theremainder'is planted. At this stage the plant is so pliable and small from the crown up that the cover l is readily slipped up and oil, thewhole 'l being quite large enough. Iny

` illustrates amoditled construction in the bottom formation. The follower ring lllb clamps the margin l2b -of a circular sheet of ltough paper V3l or otherl pliable material in place on the shell Ibfeither inthe exact position shown, or in an inverted position so that the bottom comes flush with the lower edge of the shell, or the bottom may be clamped onto the outside of the shell.

. I claim:

A plant package comprising a shell, a bottom fixed in one end of the shell, a. top inserted in.

the shell and having an opening, a liner interposed between the bottom and topl said liner being corrugatedso that the flutes provide an ample rest for the top, anda stop ring inserted in the shell, pressing on the margin of the top within the conines of the liner-ilutes. f

. CLARENCE E. WILSON. 

